1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for aligning ones of a plurality of scoring wheels with ones of a plurality of support wheels, e.g., lands using a laser and a position photodetector.
2. Discussion of the Technical Problems and Prior Art
In the practice of scoring refractory materials such as glass, ceramics, and glass ceramics, a wheel support, e.g., a land is employed to reduce scoring force required to produce a given fissure depth. The scoring surface of a scoring wheel and land should be aligned with one another to, among other things, (1) introduce a stress field between the scoring wheel and land to produce a deep score and (2) provide a cut edge on the refractory material that is perpendicular to the major surface of the refractory material. In this manner, the edge strength of the cut edge is enhanced.
In the prior art, the use of a laser and photodetector is known to align machine tools, and front end of automobiles as taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,343,785; 3,348,057; and 3,865,492. The use of a laser and photodetectors is known in the micro circuitry technology as taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,551,057 and 3,675,024. Other uses of lasers are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,351,767; 3,432,240; 3,603,688; and 3,637,309.
Although some technologies use a photodetector and a laser as above mentioned, there is no teaching in the prior art that a photodetector and a laser may be used to align a scoring wheel with a support wheel.